Septic rules in Hillsborough County
A new septic tank permit costs $505.00 on Hillsborough's OSTDS fee sheet, effective May 1, 2026, and less when outside work is handed in: $465.00 with a third-party inspection, $390.00 with a third-party soil evaluation submitted, $350.00 with both. Repairs follow the same ladder, from $455.00 down to $415.00, $340.00 and $300.00, and a modification runs $450.00, $410.00, $335.00 or $295.00. An existing septic tank permit is $115.00, or $165.00 when an inspection is required.
Abandonment is $130.00 on the sheet, though the county's separate abandonment page still prints $50.00; the May 2026 sheet is the newer of the two. That older page also says the tank has to be pumped first by a septage disposal company holding a state license, and that only a septic tank contractor, a plumber holding a license or the owner of an occupied home may do the abandonment. Thirty places of more than 10,000 people sit in the county, with 1,383,886 residents among them, short of the whole county.
The City of Tampa Water Department serves 733,886 people from surface water by EPA's count, and that count is silent on septic. Hand delivery, mail, fax and email to DLCHD29OSTDSPermit@FLHealth.gov all work for applications to the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, Environmental Public Health, and the 2026 fee sheet carries a QR code for the email route. The office is at 813-307-8059, fax 813-272-7242, P.O. Box 5135, Tampa 33675-5135, and Hillsborough isn't on DEP's county list.
The county's rules, line by line
- Who permits septic systems
- Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, Environmental Public Health: 813-307-8059, fax 813-272-7242, P.O. Box 5135, Tampa, FL 33675-5135.
- Inspection at sale
- The county says it has no such rule. Under section 381.0065(4)(v), F.S., a permit for installation, modification or repair transfers with the title, and no governmental entity may mandate an inspection at the point of sale.
- Permit steps
- Applications by hand delivery, mail, fax or email to DLCHD29OSTDSPermit@FLHealth.gov; the fee sheet carries a QR code to email the application.
- Still to confirm with the county
- The county's abandonment permit page still prints $50.00; the May 2026 fee sheet says $130.00 and is the newer document.
Septic fees in Hillsborough County
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New septic tank permit | $505.00 ($465.00 with a 3rd-party inspection, $390.00 with 3rd-party soil evaluation submitted, $350.00 with both) | OSTDS Permit Fees effective May 1, 2026 |
| Repair septic tank permit | $455.00 ($415.00, $340.00, $300.00) | OSTDS Permit Fees effective May 1, 2026 |
| Modification septic tank permit | $450.00 ($410.00, $335.00, $295.00) | OSTDS Permit Fees effective May 1, 2026 |
| Existing septic tank permit | $115.00 ($165.00 when an inspection is required) | OSTDS Permit Fees effective May 1, 2026 |
| Abandonment | $130.00 | OSTDS Permit Fees effective May 1, 2026 |
Rules and fees change every year, so confirm a line with the health department before you rely on it. "No rule found" means the pages and code we have say nothing on that line, which isn't the same as the county telling you there's no rule. To compare counties, use the county rules lookup.
What septic work costs
These are statewide Florida estimates from our model, so they aren't Hillsborough County prices; where the county posts its own permit fees, they are on this page.
| Job | Estimated range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Septic pumping | $230 to $730 | per visit |
| Septic inspection | $115 to $470 | per inspection |
| Drain field | $675 to $4,550 | per repair |
These are estimates, not quotes. How we estimate costs.